Saudi-French cultural cooperation in heritage, cinema, music, the arts, museums, and libraries.
Ahwal Al-Ma'rifa – Special
Significant, effective, and fruitful cooperation between Saudi and French cultures is confirmed by the cultural and intellectual activity between the two countries in recent years. Cooperation between France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed major development in the fields of culture and education and is taking an increasingly organized form, in line with the unprecedented transformation launched by the Kingdom under “Vision 2030.”
This cooperation aims to implement tangible projects, support the emergence of new cultural ecosystems, and position France as a key partner in the transformation taking place in the Kingdom. This cooperation also extends to scientific research, student mobility, education, and the promotion of the French language, contributing to strengthening France’s cultural influence in the Kingdom, as well as the cultural presence of Saudi Arabia in France through its various creative and artistic elements and forms.
In this context, Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his French counterpart, Rachida Dati, signed a new executive program between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the “Grand Palais – National Museums” (RMN – Grand Palais). The agreement was signed during a meeting at the Palace of Versailles on the sidelines of the “Orchestra Masterpieces” ceremony in Paris.
The discussions between the two sides covered the fields of music, film, heritage, museums, fashion, libraries, theater, and performing and visual arts, in addition to exploring the development of joint projects between cultural institutions in the two countries. The meeting also addressed cooperation between the Saudi Film Commission and France’s National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image to develop education and training in the film industry.
In the heritage sector, the Saudi Heritage Commission concluded three programs with specialized French institutions. These programs aim to develop historic sites, exchange expertise, train restoration professionals, evaluate archaeological sites, and publish research related to excavation work.
The first program was concluded with the French National Monuments Centre (CMN). It includes the exchange of expertise in developing heritage sites to enhance the visitor experience, cooperation in evaluating archaeological and heritage sites, as well as the exchange of knowledge and expertise related to the effectiveness of monitoring operations.
The second program, with the French Public Establishment for the Management of Cultural and Heritage Projects and Assets (OPPIC), focuses on developing a comprehensive capacity-building program, providing specialized support services, benefiting from the expertise of architects in cultural projects, training craftsmen and specialists in traditional and artistic restoration, and inspecting and reviewing royal palaces.
The third program, signed with the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), is dedicated to evaluating archaeological sites and publishing scientific research related to excavations.
In the museum sector, cooperation is taking place through four executive programs covering educational support, exhibition exchanges, and consultancy services, in addition to training specialists and exchanging expertise in photography and the artistic and operational aspects of museum institutions.
AlUla represents one of the most prominent examples of Saudi-French cooperation. Both sides benefit from French expertise in heritage protection and the development of cultural and tourism sites, while working to strengthen the region’s position as a global cultural and tourism destination.
The partnership in the film sector is also increasingly moving toward training, education, and capacity building, at a time when Saudi Arabia is working to develop an integrated local film industry and benefit from French expertise in this field.
The agreements signed in recent years indicate a clear transformation in cultural relations between Riyadh and Paris, moving from traditional exchange toward long-term partnerships based on institutional development, capacity building, heritage preservation, and support for cultural and creative industries.
Contexts of Cooperation:
The official visit by the President of the French Republic in December 2024 marked a turning point, with important agreements and executive programs being signed in the fields of heritage, museums, training, music, and audiovisual media.
In this context, the establishment of the French Institute in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025 represents a decisive step. It provides an opportunity to strengthen and coordinate France’s cultural ambitions in the Kingdom, in support of a long-term partnership based on trust and joint development, while supporting Saudi priorities, particularly in the fields of heritage preservation, cultural creativity, esports, and the promotion of cultural and creative industries.
The French Institute in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with “Riyadh Art,” one of the initiatives of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, announced the opening of the “La Fabrique / The Factory” project on January 22, 2026, at the Arts and Cultural Center in the JAX District of Riyadh. The project provides a new space for artistic cooperation and creativity between Saudi and French artists.
AlUla’s Heritage:
The French partnership for the development of AlUla is based on several considerations, including France’s strong relationship with the Kingdom and its extensive experience in preserving cultural heritage, developing tourism infrastructure, and promoting cultural tourism. Through this partnership, the Royal Commission for AlUla seeks to benefit from French expertise in various fields, including infrastructure, environmental preservation, tourism, capacity building, and sustainability, while ensuring community participation and an integrated approach to AlUla’s unique development journey.
The French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA) was established to cooperate with the Royal Commission for AlUla within a joint development framework dedicated to the AlUla development project.
In 2019, cooperation between the Commission and the French agency resulted in the signing of more than 170 contracts with French companies, with a total value exceeding US$200 million. In 2022, 72 contracts worth US$35.8 million were signed, contributing to accelerating the development of AlUla.
In recent years, Saudi-French relations have expanded beyond traditional areas of cooperation such as defense and energy to also include economic and technological connectivity, culture and tourism, as well as cybersecurity.
This exchange also extends to partnerships with global arts institutions such as the Centre Pompidou, along with talent-training programs, student exchanges, and joint projects in the fields of innovation and artificial intelligence.
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